Possible Loophole To Get Out Of Those Red-Light Camera Tickets

A Dallas judge has ruled that the company operating that city's red-light cameras violated state law by operating without a private investigation license. So what's the big deal?

Well, American Traffic Solutions, the Arizona-based company that operates the cameras in Houston, isn't licensed in Texas either, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety's online records. (Read the whole saga in this "journal of the politics of driving".)

The whole thing started when the wife of Dallas DUI lawyer Lloyd Ward got a camera-generated ticket in 2007. Enterprising barrister that he is, Ward found a clause in the Texas Occupation Code that states "A person acts as an investigations company...if the person engages in the business of obtaining or furnishing...evidence for use before a court, board, officer, or investigation committee...."

Ward then filed similar motions against Redflex, which operates the cameras in Duncanville and Plano, and American Traffic Solutions (ATS). Ward is "seeking the return of illegally collected fines," according to the article.

Hair Balls has calls in to ATS spokesperson Josh Weiss, and Craig Ferrell, an attorney in the Houston Police Department, to check on ATS's licensure, and the nature of the city's contract with the company. We will update as soon as we hear back.

Update: Weiss says "ATS believes it has all the necessary approvals required to operate its public safety cameras in Texas."